LA2050 is an initiative for a shared vision of Los Angeles. Led by the Goldhirsh Foundation, LA2050 is dedicated to driving and tracking progress towards that vision. This year they have accepted qualified submissions to apply for a $100,000 grant in the categories of PLAY, CONNECT, LIVE, CREATE, and LEARN.
Here at Citizens Of Culture we are big supporters of LA2050 and with all the submissions we wanted to help our community sort through all of the wonderful selections. We’ve combed through each of the categories for projects that we think are most interesting to our editors and have picked a few selects to highlight in each category.
Everyone of the applicants aspires to do something amazing for the city, we simply wanted to lend our support to a few of the ones that resonated with us deeply.
Voting began on September 2nd and will continue until Tuesday September 12th, stay tuned as well post updates on all the categories.
Check out who we like, and why, and feel free to check out other applicants here and tell us who you will be voting for in the comments as well.
Category : LIVE
WHO WE LIKE: The TALK Project
Let’s turn the uncomfortable topic of gun violence and gun safety into every day conversation to protect our children and our community.
WHY WE LIKE THEM:
Some times big change begins with just talking. It is a way to engage and educate, and the issue of domestic gun violence is as important now as ever. Before we can hope for change, we much achieve understanding at that understanding begins with a talk.
WHO WE LIKE: The Shed Pasadena
Convert a former mechanic shop into a center for sustainable demonstration, ecological skills, and land art exhibitions, called The Shed.
WHY WE LIKE THEM:
Community spaces of all sorts are needed in a city this size. A space with a specific mission is even better. Auto shops are among the most damaging to the environment sometimes so there is some bit of poetry surrounding the idea of turning it into an sustainability center.
WHO WE LIKE: Clothes The Deal
The project will work with non-profit organizations to provide business attire and employment/vocational training to low-income job seekers.
WHY WE LIKE THEM: The first thing we are judged upon is our appearance, this is true whether we like it or not. If someone asks for a job and there is something about them that doesn’t embue an ability to perform the task they will immediately be dismissed. Our attire directly effects our disposition and behavior as well. This program equips job seekers to view themselves as capable of accepting and performing work at the simplest level. This, in turn makes them better suited to attain employment.
WHO WE LIKE: Block LA
BLOCK is a video game, which allows users to design and study the health of the city and ecological interdependencies of urban actors.
WHY WE LIKE THEM: When we play, we engage at a level that allows us to learn as well. The more fun we have, the deeper our engagement and the more we remember about the experience. How might we influence the way people view our city ecology? Yes with a game. This is a great project that reminds us of so much that effects urban life and the fact that the reminder is in the form of a game will make as lasting impression on us.
Since you can only vote once make sure you choose wisely. We wish best of luck to all the applicants and a bright future to the city of Los Angeles.
For more information on LA2050 visit their website or follow them on twitter. @LA2050
* members of Citizens Of Culture may know or have met members of applicant organization.
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